Triumvirate
by Jixie
Summary: The Show Must Go On from a certain megadeus' point of view. Roger, Dorothy, and the Big O.


Roger Smith has made his decision.

It's not the choice I would have made, but it was never my  
choice to make. If that is one thing he's taught me: this is  
what it means to live free.

I only wonder how long we will sit on the bottom of the ocean   
before someone hauls me out.

* * *

**TRIUMVIRATE**  
Fanfic by Jixie 12/2005  
The BIG-O © SUNRISE INC

* * *

The fight was an arduous one. Perhaps it is because of Fau; it'd   
always been a difficult opponent. Perhaps it is Alex Rosewater;   
who has the strength and determination that few dominus possess.   
Perhaps it is the key; which has been broken and stolen by Fau. 

I suspect it is Roger. He is unnaturally troubled and agitated.   
Between his dysfunction and the damage I've already sustained   
from Duo, we are a weak team.

Roger puts all of his energy into the fight, brashly acting on   
raw human emotions, and an unfailing determination to defeat   
Rosewater. This time it isn't enough.

It doesn't take long for him to wear out. Anger drains the last   
strength from an already weary man. We haven't landed a single   
good hit on Fau, it and Rosewater are brutal against us.

Fau tries to knock us down, but Roger has anchored me to the   
crater behind it. In one last, desperate attempt, he fires all   
of the missile batteries at it. We're so close that the   
explosion rattles my already weakened hull, and the air is so   
clouded by debris that none of my detectors can pick up what   
kind of damage Fau's taken.

It is an absurd belief of mankinds that we machines can not  
feel. Over time, many of us have developed those prized human  
emotions, created from the memories of those who've shared their  
lives with us. As illogical and pointless as it may be, I have  
come to know one called hope-- a feeling of optimism in a dire  
situation.

Roger is teetering on the edge of consciousness and I have   
sustained heavy damage. Fau and Rosewater with undoubtedly   
finish us. I have hope that the attack will give us at least a   
fighting chance.

Then the smoke and debris starts to clear. I can detect well   
enough that Fau is unscathed. My hope dwindles, and dies.

Fau comes at us with its arms spinning, both of them aimed at  
the cockpit. The blows land with terrible force, breaking the  
hinge and leaving the doors ajar. I am unable to stay upright  
and crash to the ground. Roger is tossed around in the now open  
cockpit. It's more than he can handle, and he finally passes  
out.

Cars and concrete crumble beneath me. With my pilot unconscious,   
I am helpless to defend us against Fau. Trying one last time I'm   
finally able to make a connection with the key. Unfortunately my   
wireless networking abilities are not very strong. With half of   
it in Fau, and so much trauma to its core memory and internal   
server, our connection is poor. I do not believe it will help   
any.

It is with this complete absence of hope that Fau takes hold of   
my leg and drags us towards the ocean. The Military Police are   
watching, and Daniel Datsun follows us. He will not be able to   
change anything and should not throw his life away like this. I   
want to warn him away, and it is one of many times I regret not   
having a voice.

As Fau pulls us along, I focus attention to Roger. Flicking the   
observation screen, setting off various alarms, and over-riding   
manual controls have no effect. He does not wake up. Changing   
focus back to my connection with Dorothy, I instruct it to   
assist us, but it is confused and unresponsive.

The trip to the pier is agonizingly long. Having arrived at its   
destination, Fau turns and lifts me into the air. Turning again   
it holds me over the edge, dangling above the water. Roger has   
still not come around, Dorothy is still unresponsive. Datsun has   
followed us-- he is determined to waste his life to buy us a few   
meaningless seconds.

None of my attacks have affected Fau and the shot of a single   
tank is almost embarrassing. Nevertheless it must take a great   
courage to face something like Big Fau. Datsun is a courageous   
man; I will mourn him as well as Roger when this is all over.

Fau and Rosewater are prepared to destroy him when more tanks   
arrive. It is any unexpected turn of events. Their simultaneous   
firing still does not damage Fau, but it forces Fau to take   
action.

Big Fau has made its decision. It gives Alex Rosewater no choice   
in the matter, even though it should have been Rosewaters choice   
alone.

His reaction to Faus connection is so strong that even I can   
sense it. Human minds were never intended to connect to a   
computer, their natural instinct is to fight it back. Fau is   
ruthlessly quick as is parasitizes its dominus' mind. They are   
no longer two entities; pilot and craft, dominus and megadei.   
Faus stronger programming is in charge... now the pilot is the   
piloted, the master is the puppet.

As much as Roger dislikes Rosewater, I have a sense of sympathy   
towards him. Clearly the man has no idea what Fau's connection   
has done.

Once Rosewater has accepted the connection and Fau is in  
control, it annihilates the tanks. By luck or misfortune Datsun  
is not in any of them. I am unclear what Fau will do next when  
Roger wakes up.

"Whu... what...?"

We have to fight back _now_. Be alert Roger, I need you to   
pilot. Action!

Roger quickly comes to his senses. He notices that we're upside-   
down, notices the water below and that the door to the cockpit   
is open.

"Big O, can you move?" he asks, experimentally pushing on the  
floor pedal. Indeed I can. Roger hits the door button and then  
start maneuvering the controls. The hinges on the cockpit door  
are damaged, so it is kept slightly ajar. He is trying to get us  
upright and safely on ground when Fau notices.

Rosewaters voice channels through Fau. "I'm going to send you   
and that giant coffin to the bottom of the sea!" Roger looks   
started, apparently he can hear it too.

It's a short fall before I hit the water. Roger is once more   
tossed about, but this time he stays awake. He fires the chains,   
which wrap around Faus neck and pull the other Big down with us.

The moment the water covers over me and we are completely   
submerged, there is a response from my connection with the key.   
"Roger," it intones. I can understand it clearly but Roger shows  
no notice. He is struggling at the controls, anxiously eyeing  
the water that is creeping in from the space between the door  
and latch.

As we sink deeper, the ridged cuffs on Faus wrists start to  
turn, acting as propellers underwater. It starts heading for the  
surface, pulling us along with it. By now the cockpit is halfway  
filled with water.

Then the chains snap.

"Roger!"

This time he notices and instinctively glances over his shoulder.   
Confused, he wordlessly mouths the name Dorothy, like it is a   
question. We are still sinking. Roger is fighting with the   
controls, unable to get us to stop. It won't be long before I am   
filled with water and he drowns.

"Are you trying to absorb me into your systems, Big Fau?"   
Rosewater asks. His voice is as clear as if he was in my own   
cockpit and it takes a second before I understand why. With half   
of the key in Fau, there is relaying a feedback signal from   
Rosewater and Fau to Dorothy to Roger and me. "I'm not like that  
pitiful reporter or even that snickering cyborg. I am a true   
dominus, the one and only!"

Then I know what must be done.

The times I've made a connection with Roger have always been a   
mutual choice. Although that makes things easier on his human   
brain, it still leaves immeasurable damage and distortion. Once   
a connection is made between megadei and dominus, we will always   
be one. Death is the only way to disconnect...

...but if we do not connect, then he will die.

I draw out the cables and bring them to Roger. He is almost   
completely underwater. If I am to act, it must be done quickly.   
The choice must be made now. The cables wavering above his back,   
I hesitate. It is not my choice to make.

"Big O," Roger says, using what little oxygen is left. "Is this  
what you want? If you do this, you and I will become one being.  
But I've _always_ been with you, isn't that right?"

Yes, that is true. I would never force this on you, but if we   
don't act now you will die.

"Right. This is my decision."

And then...

Roger Smith has made his decision.

It's not the choice I would have made, but it was never my  
choice to make. If that is one thing he's taught me: this is  
what it means to live free.

* * *

Watching him die is difficult.

"If I'm cut, I bleed. I have plenty of faults," he babbles as  
the water starts to go over his head. "I've always been the same  
man called Roger Smith. This may all be true, but still... who  
am I?"

There is a pained look in his eyes as memories assault him. It  
is understood that drowning is a bad way to die, the mind  
fighting for consciousness as it slowly suffocates. We are  
steadily sinking, passing by the great lost cities of the past.

'Who am I?'

I hope that you can find the answers in your rest, Roger Smith.  
I hope that the answers can satisfy you.

My own memories are too great and terrible to share with any   
human, but the look in Rogers eyes tells me he's remembering   
them as well. It is unfortunate that he would have to relive   
those memories as his current life slips away.

'No.' He mouths, still trying to speak in a room filled with   
water. 'No!' We sink, and his eyes start to glaze over. 'These   
memories you're seeing... they're...'

"_ROGER!_"

It is Dorothy the key. Possibly it is too late, but I am aware  
of a renewed sense of hope. Strange that it is able to function  
so well without a core memory and such severe system damage, but  
I do not question this.

Dorothy knows exactly what to do. Giving Roger oxygen from a  
tank first, it then wrenches the door into place. With the  
cockpit resealed it instructs my air systems to function in  
reverse. The water quickly drains into the ventilation ducts and  
empties the room. Carefully pushing on Roger, the remaining  
water is forced from his lungs.

As soon as Dorothy is satisfied with this, it crushes the oxygen   
tank. The sudden release of oxygen and decompression violently   
revives Roger. He trashes in the pilots seat and retches, barely   
missing the android. Dorothy watches with feigned disinterest,   
and when he finishes the coughing fit, Roger fixes it with an   
irritated glare.

"DOROTHY! You could have come up with a _gentler_ way to bring  
me around," he scolds. "You know, like... er, like mouth to  
mouth or... something?"

"Not with the displacement capacity of my air tank. You're such  
a louse, Roger Smith."

His face softens, and then he breaks into a smile. "Heh.   
Definitely R. Dorothy..."

Rogers thought is interrupted when we finally hit the sea  
bottom. It is mostly rock and the landing jostles the three of  
us. Running a gloved hand through his hair to wring out some  
of the water, he comes up with a plan. Retaking the controls,  
he has me place my fists on the solid ground. One well charged  
release of both pistons is all it takes to send us rocketing  
towards the surface.

More than halfway there, we are able to grab hold of one of the   
underwater buildings. The second piston charge gets us to break   
the surface. Now I'm close enough to the bay that a short walk   
along the bottom takes us to the beach and onto land.

Fau is nowhere in sight, but he is quick to discover our   
reemergence. "You plan on remaining half-dead forever?"   
Rosewaters voice carries through the relay signal. "Big Fau, I  
give you all that I am now! I know that's WHAT you WANTED!"

What a joke. Rosewater has belonged entirely to Fau since the   
megadeus plugged into him. He simply hadn't known it.

"_Big O_," Dorothy says suddenly, speaking out loud in its  
primary programming language as it tends to do. "_Eject your  
cables and connect to me._"

The request is a surprising one, and I'm eager to establish a   
solid connection. It is an amazing solution.

Plugging into the dominus allows for greater control, eliminates   
the faults inherent in having a separate pilot and craft, and   
creates a distorted harmony of one. Ultimately the megadeus   
parasites off of the dominus, and in such a case we are still   
limited to our own abilities.

Plugging into a hardware key opens programs and commands that   
neither Roger nor I could access on our own. Dorothy, designed   
by its creator to connect to and function with any megadeus ever   
built, is the key needed to unlock my most powerful attacks.

The missing core memory gives me a direct access. As soon as our   
connection is made, it breaks off the remaining signal to its   
half inside of Big Fau.

Roger is oblivious to all of this, his mind completely focused  
on finding Fau. It doesn't take long, because Fau is likewise  
looking for us. Stepping within range of each other, Fau is the  
one to initiate an attack.

It raises its arms, the wrist cuffs and hands spinning in   
opposite directions. Both arms become unattached and fly towards   
us, now seen as the missiles that they are. Roger jerks the   
controls and I grab onto the missile arms. Raising them into the   
air, my grip tightens until the warheads harmlessly explode.

There is a brief feeling of regret over our lost signal with  
Fau. I would like to hear Rosewaters reaction to this turn of  
events.

Not that it matters. This has gone on long enough, and it is  
time to finish this fight. The control deck slides back as a new  
one takes its place. Roger looks bewildered at the new  
controller which he's never seen before. "What is all this?"  
Half turning in the pilots seat he looks back at Dorothy, who is  
plugged in. "Huh... Dorothy, you can...? How did you know?"

"I was informed by a buffoon with curly hair and gaudy clothing."

"That son of a gun," Roger says with a crooked grin as he turned  
back to the controller. "Big O! Final stage!"

After anchoring to the ground, my arm shields, shoulder guard,   
and chest plate all expand. The hidden laser cannon opens,   
charging for the blast.

I've never had access to the chest cannon, and although this is   
its first use, I know that it is my most powerful attack. It is   
my last hope against Fau.

And will it work? Who can say which of us is stronger? Water can   
not defeat earth can not defeat wind can not defeat water. We   
are all equally matched; it is the dominus that pilots us who   
decides the battle. Roger Smith is a greater man that Alex   
Rosewater. It has to work.

Fau charges as we fire the cannon. The resulting explosion is   
spectacular. It's a surprise that I stay standing.

As the debris clears, we can see that Fau is still standing. The   
laser has caused significant damage, however, as half of Big Fau   
is simply... gone.

Rosewaters enraged screams are so loud we can faintly hear it,   
even if the words are impossible to distinguish. Fau struggles   
to keep its balance as it attempts to fire back. As much as I'd   
like to put Rosewater and Fau out of their misery, the cannon   
will need a few minuets to recharge.

--then, none of it matters.

The sky changes and the shadow of death falls over everything.   
Light, color, and reality twist and warp around the figure that   
rises from the void.

"Big Venus." The name I would not have dared to utter, Dorothy  
identifies it. "A bird whose wings have been plucked."

Roger inhales sharply before finishing Dorothys sentence. "...   
will turn into the beast it was before it evolved into a bird."

The master Big marches forward consuming everything in its path.   
Fau stands and accepts its fate, earning an honorable   
termination.

Roger is talking, no, shouting at the Big. No. At its dominus.   
His words are indiscernible to me, I am too engrossed by the  
Big that is now marching towards us.

This is it. The end, again. Again. Again.

"Big O," Roger addresses me as he opens the door to the cockpit.  
"Wait here." Standing up from the pilots chair, he leaps onto  
the open door. "This one is for me to handle."

And he does.

* * *

Much later, R. Dorothy Wayneright talks to Angel Rosewater; key   
to dominus, android to human, woman to woman. They talk about my   
Roger Smith, a man that they both cherish. Those two are more   
alike than Dorothy cares to admit. 

I did not expect there to be any side effects to plugging into   
the key. Perhaps Dorothy knew, after all, that was its purpose.   
The connection is not unlike one made with the dominus. Even now   
I have access to everything that it is, everything it sees and   
experiences and remembers. A connection till death, if an   
android could die. I wonder if that bothers it any.

After their talk, Angel goes to Roger. I watch through Dorothys   
eyes as it waits for Angel to return, say her goodbyes, and   
leave. Nice enough to let the master Bigs dominus to say   
farewell to Roger in private, Dorothy is still eager to see the   
blonde gone.

When Angel has finally left, it goes to Roger and tries to   
lighten his mood. The two of them have had a lot of distress   
from the reset. I've tried my best to comfort both of them   
during this difficult period. Norman Berg, our friend and   
keeper, has also helped every way possible. There is only so   
much we can do.

It is then, after Angels parting, that things are completed.   
Realizing that Roger is in no mood for conversing, Dorothy   
starts turning over hourglasses. Together they observe the   
sifting sands contained in each molded glass vessel.

As the first few hourglasses finish their time Dorothy starts   
turning others and Roger stops it. Selecting certain ones, he   
turns them over himself in a particular order. When it inquires   
about the order, he blows off the issue as being irrelevant.

"Venus turned over Paradigms hourglass," Dorothy says suddenly.

"Yes... I guess so," he agrees.

"What do we do now, Roger Smith?"

He doesn't answer. Instead he looks at Dorothy intently, as if   
trying to think of something. Then he touches its face, gloved   
hand on synthetic skin.

My connection to Dorothy is a network of computer systems; a  
link between two minds. Dorothys connection to Roger is more  
spiritual; a link between two hearts. Rogers connection to me is  
the most tangible; one body controlling another. There is only  
one connection missing. It's something that we are finally able  
to resolve.

Without chromosomes it is impossible for a machine to have a   
gender, nevertheless, Dorothy has been fashioned after a woman.   
Its purpose has it able to electronically connect to megadei,   
its design allows it to physically connect to humans.

Driven by the most basic of human emotions, Roger makes another   
choice and acts on it. Somehow it is very different but very   
alike to the connection I would have made with him, had I   
plugged in. Through Dorothy the key we have gained a sort of   
balance in our relationship. I am now on the same level with   
Roger. At the same time, Dorothy gains the link and affirmation   
it yearned for.

This is my answer. People are not ruled by their memories-- they   
are ruled by their feelings.

Roger Smith has made his decision.

It's not the choice I would have made, but it was never my  
choice to make. If that is one thing he's taught me: this is  
what it means to live free.

* * *

We have come to terms.

* * *


End file.
